In many networks, packet traffic is mirrored to a packet analyzer, a network sniffer, an intrusion prevention system (IPS), or other computer hardware and/or software. Mirroring involves detecting packets, for example, at a switch port on a network switch and then copying (or mirroring) the packets on a mirroring port on the network switch. The mirroring port sends mirrored packets to the packet analyzer, network sniffer, IPS, etc.